The Day Mommy Went to Jail

 

 

My Mama was heavy on my mind this morning, so I'm gonna share an old 360 blog about her.

*Sounds like a damn LifeTime TV movie OR the title of a Ghetto Berenstain Bears Book, doesn't it?"*

As most of you know, I grew up in Carr Square Village (aka the north projects) & lived there until I was about 27 years old. As a result, I'm no stranger to crime, drugs - users & dealers, niccas running amok, ghetto fabulousness, teen pregnancy, BeBe's kids, rats, roaches & the occasional stray cat...just to name a few.

Even though I did all I could to keep a low profile my family was no stranger to the drama that goes with ghetto life. My own family called me bourgeois, saying I got it from Muda, but that's another blog for another day.

My mother was a drama queen of sorts, but she didn't take any shit off of anyone. I could write a book about that alone.

"Skip" (my baby sister's (RIP) father ) is an alcoholic (more drama). He was a good dad, when he was sober. So anyway, he left the house one day with my sister, who was barely 2 & riding in a stroller, headed for the corner store. Shortly afterwards our neighbor came & told my mother that Skip was at the store & had gotten drunk. He said he tried to bring my sister home, but Skip wouldn't let him. Keep in mind my mother & "Angel" (my 14 year old younger sister) were very high strung, reactionary people. My mother was pissed & Angel was ready to do battle. They left headed for the store.

My mother came back shortly after with the baby, but Angel wasn't with her. She told me what went down. She argued with Skip & took the baby. He was clowning and acting a fool so my sister knocked him to the ground, he yelled out & she ran. Come to find out, when she pushed him, she sliced his arm open!! They called for help, but my mother headed home before help arrived.

About 20 minutes after she made it home, a police cruiser pulled up in the parking lot. Remember this was the projects & police at any given time was not unusual. I jokingly said, "Mama they're coming for you." Her reply was "Shiiiiiiiiit, I didn't cut that bastard. Angel did." We laughed it off.

Sure as the day is long, the cops came over to our porch to question my mother about the altercation. Skip & his witnesses (another bunch of drunkards) said my mother was the one who cut him! My mother denied it, but she didn't rat out my sister. The cops cuffed her & took her downtown!! I didn't know what the hell to do.

I called my mother's best friend & my grandpa. Papa didn't drive after dark so he told me to find out how much we needed to get her out & take a taxicab to come & get the money. My mom's friend and her husband came to the house. I told them what happened & they got on the phone. They eventually were told that we wouldn't need any money & that my mother would be released shortly.

We waited at the house for my mother to call but she never did. Her friends left to go to the station & when they got there she was gone. Before they made it back, my mother was coming thru the door, with smoke coming out of her ears. I asked her why she didn't call & she said, "I didn't want to pee down there, eat down there, or use the damn phone! I just wanted to get the hell outta there, so I walked!" We only lived a few miles from the downtown station.

We talked & shortly after her friends came back. We found out that Skip did realize it was Angel who shanked him, but he told the police my mother did it because he thought she told my sister to do it. Lawd, now this nicca got my mama ordering hits! Ain't that a bitch?!

It was an ordeal that will never be forgotten & my mother, God rest her soul, never let my sister forget that she went to jail for her.

There is something to be said about a mother's love..........

PS STL People - my mama was in The Evening Whirl....under the "Why" heading....